Quantitative findings (statistically significant trends) | Explanatory/illustrative qualitative results |
---|---|
Reduction in use of cannabis, alcohol, amphetamine, medicinal methadone, medicinal buprenorphine, Ketamine, LSD, myorelaxants | Difficulties in obtaining preferred substances, lack of mediating environment (night clubs, festivals), overall “depressive” context of the pandemic |
Fewer different substances used | |
Perceived access to the main drug became harder at the initial stage of the lockdown and returned to “normal” towards the end of the monitoring period | Affected contacts with dealers, lack of transportation and restrictions for movements (curfew) |
Perceived increase in prices at the beginning of the lockdown and stabilization of prices (or return to initial figures) following the removal of restrictions | Distortion of conventional supply chains, middleman “fee”, heavy adulteration |
Injection-related risky practices increased during the initial phase of the lockdown. As access to sterile apparatus improved, PWID returned to safer injection behaviours | Lack of access to sterile injection equipment, new practice of supply in preloaded syringe |
Access to harm reduction services was strongly affected during the initial phase of the lockdown and improved later as providers adopted flexible approaches and models of service provision | Closure of provider organizations followed by the adoption of innovative service delivery models |